Boyce, Burnt, and Buck Hills (Blue Hills Reservation)

Boyce, Burnt, and Buck Hills (Blue Hills Reservation)

Distance: 3.65 miles
Elevation: 518 feet

Time: 1 hour, 24 minutes
Hike Type: Loop
Hiking Challenges: 125-Mile Club (2x) 

The Hike

This hike is brought to you by the impending doom that is Daylight Savings Time - I was truly NOT feeling a long drive to a hike after work on this day, but I knew it would likely be my last chance for an after school hike in the Blue Hills for a while, so I suffered through. It was a chilly afternoon at 47 degrees and to my dismay I forgot my hiking socks, so my stinky normal socks were in! I started my hike on the Buck Hill Path and then began to wiggle my way to the Boyces via Headquarters Path, Doe Hollow Path, and Skyline Trail.

The summit of North Boyce is super easy to get to - a clear high point just off trail in easy, open woods. The summit of South Boyce is dreadful to get to - there is kind of maybe a treadway just north of the height of land along the Boyce Hill Trail that you can kind of follow for a bit sometimes? I think I found the summit at a tree and rock and then followed a different treadway... away from it. I could stop thinking about how awful this would be in tick season. The treadway begins to dissolve near a steep drop off, so I went fully rogue and made my way back to the trail.

Something that I do love about this time of the year is the extended golden hour, or at least what feels like one. I'm also happy and proud of myself for being more active in this early fall - this one hike already puts me over last November's stats.

I continued my wiggle along the Winthrop Path, past what I have called the "peeper swamp" due to how loud it gets in springtime, and then made my way to the height of land along the Burnt Hill Path and kind of found a similar treadway to the summit area - another tough one, but nowhere near as bad as South Boyce. I also realized as of now I have summited all of the Blue Hills! South Boyce is definitely the worst in my opinion - at least Great Dome has an old trail to follow.

I then made my way onto one of my favorite trails in the reservation - the Fern Spring Foot Path. I spent some time enjoying the setting sun at the first ledgy view and actually passed my first person in over an hour. The approach to Buck Hill is just stunning, and the view towards the sun and Big Blue were an absolute joy to see. I was too early for sunset, but that was truly okay, as I've been fighting to get a good amount of sleep recently. 

My descent was via the AMC Footpath, which was a little confusing to get to and follow with the unmapped mountain biking trails. I then landed on the Buck Hill Path and eventually back to my car. Unfortunately, the traffic from the light at Chickatawbut/MA-28 was backed up all the way to my car, which made for a slow drive home. 

Step-By-Step

- Park at Buck Hill Path trailhead off of Chickatawbut Road.

- Start hike on Buck Hill Path.

- At 2164, turn right onto Headquarters Path.

- At 2153, continue straight onto Doe Hollow Path.

- At 2141, turn right onto Skyline Trail.

- At height-of-land, hike off trail to the summit of North Boyce Hill.

- Continue on Skyline Trail.

- At 2117, turn left onto Boyce Hill Trail. 

- Just below height-of-land, turn right into the thick underbrush and do your best to find the summit of South Boyce Hill.

- Return to trail.

- At terminus, turn right onto Massachuseuck Trail.

- At next junction, turn left onto Wintrop Path.

- At terminus, turn left onto Bugbee Path.

- At 2111, turn right onto Burnt Hill Path.

- At height-of-land, hike off-trail on left to high point of Burnt Hill.

- Return to trail, contineu along Burnt Hill Path.

- At 2092, turn left onto Angle Path.

- At next junction, turn left onto Bolton Foot Path.

- At terminus, turn right onto Doe Hollow Path.

- At 2132, turn left onto Beech Hollow Path.

- At 2135, turn right onto Bugbee Path.

- At second junction, turn left onto Fern Spring Foot Path.

- Follow Fern Spring Foot Path to summit of Buck Hill.

- From summit, travel East on Skyline Trail.

- Near 2165, turn left onto AMC Footpath.

- At 2182, turn left onto Buck Hill Path, return to car.

Blue Hills Reservation Map

Photo Album